State of the Market

Laminate countertop sales and how they compare to other materials.

May 31, 1999

Although stone and other countertop materials have been gaining a larger portion of marketshare in recent years, laminate countertops still make up a huge majority of sales in the countertop arena. According to the NAHB Research Center’s Builder and Consumer Practice Survey, 132 million square feet of laminate countertops were installed in residential homes in 1997, nearly twice the amount of other materials combined.

Of all the countertop materials predicted to be purchased this year, almost 72 percent will be used in remodel projects as opposed to new construction installations, according to Kitchen and Bath Business. Additionally, the magazine predicts that countertops will be the third most used product in kitchen remodels this year, following cabinets and sinks.